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Education
School district announces first-year bond project timelines
The Austin Independent School District is not wasting any time putting the 2017 bond money to use, according to a presentation by Superintendent Paul Cruz at the school board’s Nov. 27 meeting. Cruz emphasized that strict adherence to project timelines…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 30, 2017
Trustees alarmed at exclusion of minority-owned businesses from middle school renovation
In the bidding for 2013 bond improvements to the Dobie Middle School campus, two minority-owned firms were passed over in favor of a company that included a few minority-owned subconsultants as part of its proposal. The Austin Independent School District…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 29, 2017
School board wrestles with large STAAR achievement gaps
Like one wrong note disturbing the harmony of a symphony, one faulty academic indicator can throw off a school district’s sense of which of its schools need the most attention. Some trustees on the Austin Independent School District board voiced…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 22, 2017
AISD considers charter school option for Mendez Middle School
Facing severe under-enrollment and a below-average educational suitability assessment, Mendez Middle School may be turned over to a community partner in hopes of reversing the campus’ downward trajectory. Austin Independent School District staff shared the project initiative with the board…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 16, 2017
AISD seeks environmental flexibility in redevelopment of Barton Springs schools
The Austin Independent School District is one step closer to reaching an agreement with the city that would allow it to redevelop some of its overcrowded campuses in order to accommodate growth in student populations. At its meeting last Wednesday,…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Oct 23, 2017
Mentors help drive attendance at Austin schools
Students in Central Texas miss more days of school than kids in any other part of the state. Around 10 percent of local students are chronically absent, meaning they miss more than 18 school days a year. A quarter of…
AISD • By Claire McInerny, KUT • Oct 17, 2017
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AISD fails to acquire additional voting sites
Travis County has denied a request from the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees for additional mobile early voting sites during this year’s bond election. In a Sept. 27 memo to County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Oct 5, 2017
East versus West: Who wins with the Austin ISD bond?
The Austin Independent School District has a $1 billion bond that voters will be asked to approve this November. The bond would pay for projects at schools all over the district, but there’s a difference between funding for schools on…
AISD • By Claire McInerny, KUT • Sep 21, 2017
School district drums up support for upcoming bond package
In its campaign to get inform voters about most expensive school bond in Austin’s history, the school administration has counted on the age-old aphorism that seeing is believing. Last Thursday, the Austin Independent School District hosted a media tour of…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Sep 19, 2017
Trustees cast doubt on success of UT partnership program
At its Aug. 28 meeting, the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees approved an interlocal agreement with the University of Texas at Austin to renew the Literacy First program at 22 Austin schools for the coming school year, but…
Education • By Joseph Caterine • Aug 30, 2017
Crowd demands answers from AISD trustee at east side rally
Austin Independent School District Trustee Jayme Mathias struggled to find common ground with parents, teacher assistants and other community members at the Save East Austin Schools rally Wednesday night. The event was organized by Bertha Delgado and Monica Sanchez, who…
AISD • By Joseph Caterine • Aug 4, 2017
City, AISD agree on Bowie expansion rules
The city and the Austin Independent School District have reached an agreement on how the district can expand Bowie High School even though it is over the environmentally sensitive Barton Springs Zone of the Edwards Aquifer. City Council voted unanimously…
